Vanishing Grace
by theeprincestale
Summary: A series of father/daughter moments between Joel and Ellie as they create a home in their new living situation at Tommy's. Tension about Joel's big lie builds between the two and they discover how much they really mean to each other.
1. Making a Home

**This just happens to be the first fic I've ever written! I loved the game the Last of Us and Joel and Ellie so much that I felt really compelled to write something. I had so many ideas for little father/daughter Joel and Ellie moments floating through my head, so this story is going to be made up of those moments. I hope you enjoy, and look out for the coming chapters!**

**Characters and universe are not owned by me. All credit goes to Naughty Dog and/or other respective owners.**

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The front door opened, and a middle-aged, rough looking man appeared in it's frame.

"Hey", said a young teenage girl laying on the couch.

"Hey" said Joel gruffly.

"How was the night shift?" Ellie asked, not bothering to look up from the comic she was thumbing through. Joel knew she had read that one already, maybe even several times, but there wasn't much other reading material around for her.

"Eh. Long. Y'know" he replied, as short and gruff sounding as ever. He set down his backpack on a worn coffee table near the door.

"Mhm" she replied mindlessly, as her eyes scanned the pictures on the pages.

"You sure love them comics of yours" Joel said as he sat down in an armchair near the couch. "Haven't you read that one before?"

Closing the book and setting it aside, Ellie sat up. "Well yeah, but what else am I supposed to do while you're gone working all the time?!" she said with her typical, playful tone.

Joel's face fell as he flashed back twenty years earlier. Long, late hours and not enough time spent with the daughter he loved. He had wished he hadn't worked so late that night. Or any night when she was alive all those years ago. Sarah's face flashed through his mind as his heart ached so suddenly at Ellie's comment that he thought it might explode. He missed Sarah so much. He knew he would dream about her tonight, like he always did. But right there He vowed not to make the same mistake with Ellie. He wanted to be there with her, to keep her safe. Something he couldn't do for Sarah, in the end.

"Joel?" a voice cut deep into his thoughts. Ellie was peering over at him with curiosity.

"Hm? Oh yeah. You could try bein' productive, y'know." he said with a small smirk, trying to avoid her asking questions about his momentary lapse into the past. His fingers were still brushing across the broken watch that had remained on his wrist for twenty years.

"Uh huh. Yeah right. You guys don't let me do any of the dirty work around here!"

It was true. Ever since they had arrived at Tommy's settlement, Joel had been extremely protective of Ellie. He didn't want her doing any type of job that could put her at risk. He knew that being idle or doing the easy jobs didn't sit well with a busybody like Ellie, but after all he went through to ensure her survival, he couldn't bear to let anything happen to her. What he did to the fireflies... it couldn't be for nothing. He had to sustain her life. He just _had to_. It wasn't an option for him at this point, it was instinct.

"And for your information, I already helped out Cathy with some of the little kids today while you were off doing the fun stuff with Tommy. I'm productive, alright?"

"Mhmm, yeah. Layin' around reading comics all day sure is productive"

Ellie huffed. "Whatever Joel". She folded her arms across her chest, pouting.

"So I thought we could go search for some mattresses for us today. What do ya think?" Joel asked, steering the conversation in a new direction.

"What? You just stayed up all night, Joel! Don't you need sleep? Do you _ever_ sleep?" Ellie looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Nah, not really" he laughed. "I figured I'm sick of sleepin' on this chair, and I'm sure you're sick of sleepin' on that couch" Joel said. It was true. When they had arrived and taken up this tiny house a few weeks ago at Tommy's settlement, Joel and Ellie found the bedrooms to be completely empty. They had resorted to sleeping on the few pieces of furniture in the living room, and Joel's large body just couldn't handle sleeping on a chair anymore.

"I am sick of it..." Ellie said, pondering it. "Alright I'm in. Where are we gonna look?"

"I thought of a few places we could search. There's some houses here, or some areas just outside the settlement"

Ellie's eyebrows lifted up slightly. "Go back out there? Already?"

"I've been out there with Tommy and the guys here on some jobs, and it ain't too bad nearby. But don't worry, we'll only go if we have to. We've gotten through quite a bit out there before, Ellie. I can handle it."

"Don't you mean _we_ can handle it?" Ellie crossed her arms again. She hated when Joel acted like she wasn't capable, even though she knew he was just being protective. She also knew he didn't need to be. She was tough.

"Sure, kiddo" Joel replied, obviously trying to appease her.

"When do we leave?" she asked.

"How's now for you? Or are you too busy with that comic?"

"Ha ha. Funny." she glared at Joel. "Yeah, I'm ready, let me go grab my pack. Just in case." she said as she got up from the couch and walked towards a small hallway that led to one of the bedrooms in the house where she kept her things. She grabbed her backpack and slipped it on before returning to the living room, where Joel was already waiting by the door.

"Alright. Let's get goin'" he said as he opened the door.

They walked in silence as Ellie followed Joel to a house across the settlement. When they finally reached it, there were a few nearby that looked just as deserted. Before she could ask, Joel said, "these here are a few houses that ain't being used yet. Everyone tends to live close to each other here, if you didn't notice. I suppose these'll get filled out eventually when we get more people comin' in. If we ever do."

Ellie nodded, acknowledging that she had heard him as they went through the front door. She almost reverted to her typical stealth approach when she realized there was no way that anyone or any_thing _could be in here. Tommy and the others would have driven off or killed any infected or hunters long ago.

As they explored, Ellie noticed the house looked similar to theirs. Relatively empty, beat up, and mattress-less. She sighed. "Find anything?" she called to Joel from one of the bedrooms.

"No. Nothin' important." Joel said as he entered the room. "On to the next one, I guess".

The pair entered the house next door, and immediately there was a visible difference. There was more furniture and plenty of nicknacks laying around. "Let's search the place" Joel said as he took off towards the bedrooms. "You take the kitchen" he called over his shoulder.

Ellie got to work sifting through old, spoiled food mixed with pots and pans in the kitchen cupboards. There was nothing here that they needed or didn't already have. She opened a drawer, and in it there was a faded family photo. She assumed they had lived in this house. She stared for a few moments before slipping it into her backpack. It was a habit she had picked up on her and Joel's travels. She had never told him or showed him her collection. She liked having something to keep to herself, and she knew Joel wouldn't understand her reason for keeping the photos. He wasn't sentimental like that. It made her feel sad to look at them, but she enjoyed making up stories in her head about the families, imagining they got away, and had settled somewhere just like where she was living now. She knew that it was unlikely, but liked imagining happiness and hope. Her favorite photo in the collection had been the one of Joel and his daughter Sarah before she decided to give it back to him. Ellie had so many questions about her, but knew there was a slim chance she would ever get any answers. Joel was private about his past, and she was scared to open any old wounds of his.

"Ellie, I found one!" Joel yelled from across the house. Ellie followed his voice to a room where, behold, there was a mattress. She smiled at Joel, who was lifting it off a broken bed frame.

"It's a little old, and it don't exactly smell great, but we could try to air it out." he said as began carrying it across the room. "Gimme a hand, will ya?"

Ellie grabbed the other side of the mattress, obviously struggling under it's weight much more than Joel was. They managed to maneuver it out of the house together. Once outside, Ellie asked, "just one in there?"

"There was another. But we're gonna need some help gettin' these back to our place." he said turning to go in the house. "Let's bring it out here, and then I'll get Tommy to come help us out if he ain't busy."

Ellie followed him back inside. She had to admit, she was pretty excited to sleep on an actual bed, no matter how smelly.

After they carried the second mattress outside, Joel turned to Ellie. "You wait here, while I get Tommy. Keep your eyes open. Just 'cause we're here in this place don't mean we're safe. You never can tell about folk you don't really know. Got it?"

"Sure thing" Ellie said as she rolled her eyes at Joel's overprotective speech, but sat down on the porch steps as he walked away.

Ellie picked at her fingernails, and observed her surroundings as she waited. Now that she was alone, her thoughts drifted back to weeks before, when they had first arrived. She kept pushing it to the back of her mind. _The lie. _She knew Joel was lying to her. Those two words, "I swear" rang through her ears like daggers. She sighed loudly, trying to clear her head. What exactly had happened? She wanted to know so badly, but couldn't bring herself to ask Joel. Or maybe she couldn't bring herself to find out the truth. She knew two things, however. She knew that she trusted him. She trusted him with her life. And she knew that Joel cared for her, deeply. She could see it in his eyes when she caught him in the right moment, admiring her like a father does for his daughter. She could feel it when he protected her by any means possible. _By any means possible. _She shuddered to think what means he had used to get them away from the Fireflies. Her thoughts were interrupted when Joel came back with Tommy following at his heels.

"Hey Ellie" Tommy said, giving a friendly wave.

"Hi Tommy" Ellie replied, trying to give a genuine smile as she got to her feet. She was still distracted thinking of the Fireflies. How could they have stopped looking for a cure? How had she never known there were more immunes? She wished desperately that she had never gone unconscious underwater before they reached the hospital. She wished it wasn't all just one big black hole in her timeline. She passed out right before reaching the hospital and woke up in a car with Joel in the driver's seat. Nothing added up. She sighed.

"Somethin' wrong?" Joel asked, looking at her with concern. His heart gave a small jump as fear creeped in. His relationship with Ellie had been as normal as ever, with a few exceptions like this moment. These moments made him scared that she knew the truth. _The truth. _He couldn't think about it. Not right now. Not ever. It was over, and Ellie was safe. Joel planned on keeping it that way.

"Nope. Everything's peachy" came Ellie's sarcastic voice. Joel's gaze lingered on her suspiciously before they were interrupted.

"Alright, Joel, let's do this. I've got to meet back up with Maria and some of the guys. Important business stuff, you know" Tommy joked.

Ellie helped Tommy carry one of the mattresses as Joel carried one alone. Ellie never ceased to be amazed at Joel's strength for his age. They finally reached their house and set down the mattresses near the front door.

"That'll do, Tommy. Now go on and find that wife of yours".

Tommy laughed and waved goodbye, leaving Ellie and Joel standing on the rundown front porch.

"Alright, let's get these inside, Ellie" Joel said, turning to her.

After some finagling the mattress through the front door, they finally got it to the first bedroom. When they returned to the porch, Joel began lifting up the second mattress. "Let's get this one to the other bedroom" he said.

"Um, Joel?" Ellie's attitude had changed suddenly. Joel looked at her and noticed she was wringing her hands, obviously trying to bring herself to say something. His heart filled with fear again. She looked nervous, almost upset, and he didn't want to stick around to hear what she was about to say to him. _Please don't ask about the Fireflies..._ he begged.

"Can we uh... not put this in the other bedroom?" she blurted out.

"Huh?" Joel scratched his head, genuinely confused about why she was acting so nervous about such a simple question. _I suppose that's teenage girls for you, _he thought.

"I just... I don't wanna sleep alone. This whole time we've been sleeping in the same room. And it's just... I get sort of... scared? You know, with my nightmares sometimes. And yours too. I thought it would be better to put these in the same room. I mean, what if something happened to me in the night and you were in the other –"

Joel cut off her rambling. "Ellie. It's fine. That's fine." He chuckled and relief washed over him. He savored the small moments when Ellie let her guard down, and instead of acting tough, she acted like she should – a teenage girl, a child, who was living in a terrifying world.

Ellie breathed out in relief. "Sorry. I didn't want to make things weird or anything. I just really don't want to be alone". It almost pained her to admit that to Joel, but it was the truth. Even if he wasn't going to be honest with her, she still wanted to be honest with him.

"Let's just get this in there, then" he gestured to the mattress.

Once both mattresses were in place_, _they stepped back to survey the room. It still looked pathetic and barren, but at least they had somewhere more comfortable to sleep. The two mattresses sat on opposite corners of the room, with their backpacks next to the mattress. Various guns, comics, and other supplies were strewn about the space. It wasn't much, but it was their home now.

"You hungry? How about we go get some dinner. It's Maria's turn to do the cookin' today" Joel said as they walked out of the bedroom.

"I'm starved" Ellie said, looking up at Joel. She felt a small sense of peace come over her, and for a moment, she almost forgot all about the Fireflies. _Almost._


	2. Movie Night

"Ellie, get in here. I'm puttin' in the movie" Joel called from the living room. Ellie was in the bedroom, mindlessly going through her things, waiting for Joel to get back. It was movie night for the two, as he had promised her this afternoon before he left to help out around the settlement. Everyone had to help out in some way in order to stay there and keep everything running smoothly., As much as she disliked Joel being gone so often, she liked the idea of being allowed to stay here even more.

She hopped to her feet and went out into the living room. It was now dark outside, and the only light in the room was a small lamp on a table next to the couch. Joel was carrying in a TV through the front door.

"Woah, where'd you get that thing?!"

"Tommy managed to get us one. Now we don't have to go to the group movie nights if we want to watch somethin' together".

"Tommy's a good, good man." Ellie joked as she watched Joel set up the TV.

"What were you up to?" Joel asked, trying to make conversation as he fussed with the wires and cables.

"Nothing." she replied quickly. She didn't want him to know she had been bored out of her mind and anxiously waiting for him to get home since she had arrived back from her day's tasks with Maria.

He glanced her way, but said nothing.

"That should do it" Joel stepped back from the television and took off his backpack. He pulled a few DVDs out and set them on the floor.

Ellie walked towards him to examine the pile. "We're gonna watch this one" he said, holding up one of the movies.

"Not one of your Western movies, Joel! Ughhhh".

"C'mon. This one's a classic".

"Uh, how about something more like this?" she asked, holding up an action movie.

"Saw that one, and it wasn't any good".

"And yours is?! You haven't seen this movie in over twenty years! You should really give it another chance, Joel".

"It don't need another chance. What it needs is to be put in the garbage. We're watchin' this one" he said, motioning to the Western flick he had picked out.

"Fine, whatever. Just this once, I'll let you have your way" Ellie rolled her eyes.

As Joel set up the movie to play, he thought of Sarah. They used to have this type of conversation often. They couldn't agree on much of anything – movies, music, books – but it had never affected their relationship. Sarah usually got her choice, but Joel didn't mind because he wanted to see her happy. This movie, however, him and Sarah had agreed on. It was definitely not her type of movie and it surprised him when she claimed to love it after it was over. He was hoping Ellie would feel the same way.

"Alright, time to fall asleep" Ellie joked as the movie began playing.

"Shush. And eyes on the screen, okay?".

Ellie flopped down on the couch and faced the TV as Joel took the chair beside her. Joel immersed himself in the movie, smiling at the parts he remembered so well from years ago. He stole a few small glances at Ellie as it played, watching for her reactions. But her eyes were fixed on the screen, and her expression gave away nothing.

"Oh, this here is about to be my favorite –" Joel started, but cut himself off when he saw Ellie fast asleep on the couch. He shook his head with a smile and turned his attention back to the movie. This small moment gave him assurance that he wasn't replacing Sarah. Ever since he had felt his heart warming up to Ellie, he was frightened beyond anything that he was trying to replace his daughter. He hadn't wanted to grow close to Ellie because of that fear. But this moment showed they were different. That they could each have their own place in his heart. He felt the internal struggle die down, at least for now.

As the credits rolled, Joel stood up and went to the couch. He gently reached his hands under Ellie's small frame and picked her up. In this moment he knew he loved her as his own. Not when he was beating through the Fireflies to save her life, not when he shot Marlene for her, not when he lied to take all the guilt off her shoulders, but now. In this moment. He knew he was the closest thing she had for a dad, and she was the one who had brought life back into him. He rested his head against her auburn hair lovingly as he carried her to the bedroom. He carefully laid her down on the mattress. He walked to the doorway, stopped, and turned towards Ellie's sleeping form.

"Goodnight, baby girl" he said quietly, choking out the last word as tears threatened to well up in his eyes. He thought again of Sarah, but this time some of the pain was gone. He knew she would want him to be happy, to feel alive again, to care for Ellie as she deserved. He silently promised himself that he would do it for both of them.


	3. Nightmares

**Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading and reviewing so far! I'm having way too much fun writing more of Joel and Ellie's story. This chapter gets a little bit sappy like the last one, but I just couldn't help myself :) **

**Enjoy, keep on reviewing, and look out for more chapters. I've got plenty coming for y'all! **

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Joel's eyes shot open, and it took him a moment to adjust to the darkness. He wondered what had woken him up, as he couldn't remember having his usual nightmares that night.

A whimpering from across the room answered that question. Ellie. She was having one of _her_ nightmares.

Joel sat up and then approached her slowly, as not to frighten her. He had learned that sometimes it was better to wake her up, and other times not. Once she had been so frightened by him waking her up from a nightmare that she had punched him hard in the face on accident. He didn't exactly want to repeat that moment.

She was yelling, whimpering, and mumbling as she rolled back and forth. Her eyelids were fluttering rapidly, and Joel wondered which nightmare she was having this time. He sat next to her helplessly, wondering if he should wake her.

"Shh. It's okay, it's okay" he whispered repeatedly, shaking her gently by the shoulder. He hated this helpless feeling more than anything. He felt something in himself that he hadn't in a long time. It was a fatherly instinct, a paternal need to help and protect. Not in the brutal and violent way that he was now accustomed to, but in the way he used to "keep away the monsters" for Sarah.

"No!" Ellie screamed out, and her eyes opened wide with fear. She was dazed from her sleepiness, but terror was on her face as she looked up at Joel. He squeezed her shoulder tightly.

"It's me, it's me. Everything's okay now". his normal gruff tone of his voice had turned soft.

Tears ran down her face as she suddenly buried her head in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her reassuringly. "Joel..." she said through her sobbing.

"I know, I know. I'm here. None of it was real" he repeated, trying to calm her down. He knew about nightmares more than most people.

Before he even realized what he was doing, Joel began singing and humming softly for her. Ellie didn't recognize the song, but it was so gentle, low, and soothing. After several minutes her sobs reduced to single tears, and she pulled away from Joel's embrace and sat with her knees to her chest.

"You sang for me" she looked at him with tear filled eyes.

"Don't make a big deal out of it, now". His comment made Ellie smile slightly.

You wanna talk about the dream?" Joel offered.

Ellie shook her head. "It was just _him_ again". Joel didn't need her to elaborate, he knew exactly who she was talking about. David. The sick, cannibalistic man who had ruined Ellie's innocence and childhood. He felt anger rise up as he thought of David, but he had to push it back down for her. She needed him right now.

He let them sit in silence for a while as she calmed down. Ellie was truly thankful for the times when Joel let his guard down for her sake. It wasn't often she got to see this side of him, but she saw him getting softer everyday, maybe returning to the man, the father, he used to be.

"Tell me more about the world. Y'know, before all this" Ellie finally said. She loved hearing about how people used to live, and all she really wanted was for Joel to talk her back to sleep. She found comfort in the voice she knew so well.

Joel gave a small smile. "Alright. What do you wanna hear about?"

"Anything. Tell me about what you used to do for fun".

"Okay, well..." he pondered, "I used to like goin' to sporting events. Football, baseball, that kind of stuff."

"You told me about football right? The one with the, what did you call them... touchdowns?"

"That's right. Football games were always a bit crazy for my taste, but fun too. When my team was winnin', of course".

Silence fell between them for a moment as Joel thought.

"Honestly though, one of my favorite things was just stayin' at home with Sarah and grillin' outside in the summer. Watchin' her play and goof off while I had sports on the radio".

Ellie perked up, slightly surprised at the mention of Sarah's name. "That sounds really nice, Joel" she said quietly, sniffling and wiping her tears from her face.

"Yeah... it was". He fell quiet now, lost in thought of days that he could never return to.

"I'm really sorry about her Joel".

"You don't got to be sorry, Ellie. It's... in the past". He left his face expressionless as usual, pushing his emotions away. It was an automatic reaction for him now. He knew it was anything but the past for him, however. It was his present, his always, his pain.

Ellie searched for words she could not find. She stared down at her hands, waiting.

Joel knew he had to pull himself out of the memories, out of the pain. He had to be the strong one for Ellie right now.

"Anyway, how about I talk to you some more" Joel said. Ellie nodded in response. "Lay on down kiddo, and try to get back to sleep while I talk, okay?"

Ellie laid back and listened as Joel talked about girls her age back before the infection hit. She heard how they would huddle together as they walked through the malls, how they read magazines about fashion and boys, how they went to concerts and listened to pop bands, and watched sappy movies about vampires. Ellie found it all to be so strange, beyond her comprehension with the world she lived in. She laughed at how trivial life seemed for these girls, but inside she wished she could experience it, if only for one day. She wondered if Sarah had been like the girls he described. With Joel as a father and no mother around she doubted Sarah was much of a girly-girl. _Maybe Sarah had been similar to herself_... she pushed the thought from her mind. She felt like she was cheating Sarah, stealing her father by comparing them.

Joel's voice droned on and Ellie felt her eyes get heavy. She strained to keep listening but she soon gave in to sleep. Joel watched as her breathing steadied, deep and slow. He tucked her stray hairs behind her ear and then sat against the wall, staring into the dark room. Before he knew it, sleep overcame him as well. That night he had no nightmares, only visions of Ellie – smiling, happy, in the world before the infection. She was with friends, shopping for clothes at the mall. Seeing Ellie in this environment seemed absurd and unnatural to Joel, but the joy on her face was radiant. He slept more soundly than he had in years.


	4. Supply Search

Tommy caught up to Joel and Ellie as they were walking outside, the afternoon sun beating down on them.

"Hey, Joel, you busy today? We're goin' out to look for some supplies and could use the extra pair of hands".

He looked at Ellie for approval. She waved her hand as if to say "go ahead" and gave Joel a half smile.

"Sure thing. You guys headin' out soon?"

"Yeah. In about a half hour we're all meeting at the North entrance".

"Can I come just this once? Pleaseeeee? I'm dying of boredom in here!" Ellie cut in.

"No way, Ellie. What happened to you wanting to stay in here anyways? And it's way too dangero–"

"That's such bull! I'll be fine! You've seen what I can do. Besides, there's going to be tons of guys there to protect me".

"Ellie. I don't care. It's not everyone's problem to worry about you. They need to focus on searchin' for supplies, not your safety. That's for me to worry about, okay?".

"We never encounter much trouble on these raids, I think she'd be fine out there Joel. She's pretty tough from what I've heard" Tommy said with a wink at Ellie. She smiled, grateful for his help.

"Tommy, no way. I can't be responsible... I can't let her – I can't risk it. There could be hunters, infection, who knows what else." His voice now sounded desperate, panicked.

"Come on, Joel! If you just gave me a chance I could show–" Ellie begged.

"I said no! Now you are stayin' here and helpin' out like you normally do".

"This is so dumb! I can help and you know it! I can make the choice myself!" She was beginning to get angry at Joel's defiance.

"You are a child, you don't get to make that choice for yourself! I say you are stayin' here and that's final." Joel began to walk away, leaving Ellie to stand there with Tommy. She crossed her arms as she watched him set off towards the house. Anger management had never been Joel's strong suit.

"Sorry, kiddo. Maybe next time. We'll wear him down, I promise" Tommy said, patting Ellie on the shoulder.

"Thanks Tommy..." she said as he went off to gather more men for the raid.

Ellie sighed and stood alone, letting her anger brew for a few moments before going to the house. None of this was fair, Joel had to know by now that she could handle herself. She knew he meant well, but he treated her like such a child. When she arrived home it was empty, and Joel had already left. Ellie felt disappointed – she had planned on trying to convince him one last time.

"There's no way I'm sitting this one out" she said quietly to herself as she picked up her backpack. She grabbed her knife off the floor, and the small pistol Joel had given her for "emergencies only" and ran towards the door.

She trotted along until she approached the North entrance to the settlement. There was a guard on duty as usual, watching out for Hunters or Infected.

"Did the group going on the supply search already leave?" she asked him.

"Just a minute ago. They shouldn't be too far away." He then looked suspiciously at her. "Why are you askin', kid?"

"I just... uh, Joel forgot something _really_ important. I thought I'd run it up to him. You know Joel, right?" the guard nodded in response to her question, but she could tell he wasn't buying into her lie. "You wouldn't want him angry at you for not letting me to deliver this to him, would you?"

The guard contemplated what she said. Ellie could tell he knew she was trying to trick him, but he sighed and said "go on ahead" as he opened the gate for her anyways.

"Well thank you sir!" Ellie said in a mockingly polite voice. She began to jog, hoping to catch up with the group quickly. Excitement boiled inside of her. As scared as she was of what was out in the real world, she was craving adventure. She figured there wouldn't be much action out here, as Tommy had said, but at least it was something. She was on a path with dense woods surrounding her on each side and so far all she could hear were trees rustling and birds chirping.

She heard voices and footsteps getting closer to her. She finally saw the outlines of the group and yelled to them.

"Hey! Wait up!" she watched as they all stopped and turned around. She searched the crowd for Joel's face, scared of what expression she might see on it. Her eyes widened when she saw Joel push through the crowd and come towards her, a fuming look on his face.

"Yikes..." she whispered to herself.

"Ellie! What did I tell you?! What do you think you're doin'?!" he yelled once he reached her.

"I'm not trying to cause any trouble, Joel. I just wanted to be here in the action, that's all. Nothing's going to happen to me!"

"And if it does?! What then?"

"Why do you even care so much?!" the retort came out of her before she could think. She already knew the answer.

Before Joel could speak, they heard a noise somewhere within the woods to the left of them. The entire group became silent and still, trying to decide what to do next. Tommy pointed towards the woods on the right, indicating they should take cover.

"Joel, who–" Ellie began, before being cut off by Joel.

"Shh. Now c'mon" he said, pulling her by the arm towards the rest of the group, who were beginning to hide among the trees. He didn't care how angry he was with her right now, his protective instincts were kicking in.

They found a spot near Tommy, who looked at Joel and quietly said "Hunters, I bet. We haven't seen any in weeks, months maybe".

"We heard you out there, you know" called a man's voice in the distance.

"We don't want to hurt you" came another voice, teasingly.

Ellie looked at Joel nervously. She wondered how many there were. Could their group take them down? He returned her look with a reassuring one, trying to settle her nerves.

"Come on, come out to play!" One man laughed menacingly.

"No? Alright then. Have it your way" said the first voice again.

A gunshot fired through the trees, breaking the silence within the group. Men started peeking out from their cover, aiming their guns towards the Hunters and shooting.

"Stay here, and don't move from this spot for anything" Joel said to Ellie, his expression stern.

Before she could protest, Joel had rushed off with Tommy, guns blazing. The sounds of gunshots and bullets ricocheting off trees filled the air. Ellie heard yelling above the noise. Fear that one of those yells could be Joel's overwhelmed her. She couldn't just sit here, she couldn't let Joel get hurt, or worse, killed.

She crawled out from behind cover to examine the scene. She saw men everywhere, ducking behind trees, shooting arrows and firing guns. _I can do this, _she thought.

Joel was in a particularly tough melee with one of the Hunters. He was an equal match for Joel size and strength wise, and he was struggling to keep the Hunter from reaching for his gun.

"Get off him!" he heard Ellie yell as she jumped on top of the Hunter's back, stabbing him repeatedly. "That'll show you" she said, as the body fell to the ground.

"Ellie!" Joel yelled. Before he could start an argument, a Hunter came running up towards her. The Hunter's shot missed her by mere inches. Instinctually, Joel pulled out his nearest gun and shot repeatedly in the man's direction. He breathed heavily as the adrenaline kept his heart pumping fast. "Go, hide! Just go!" he yelled as she took off for cover.

Dozens of gunshots later, the hunters had all been taken down. Joel approached Ellie and she came out of hiding.

"What did I tell you about staying hidden?"

"I'm sorry Joel, but aren't you glad I helped you out there?"

"That's not the point. I just... Ellie, you were _this close_ to getting shot" he indicated the few inches with his fingers.

"But I didn't get shot! Look at me! Nothing, not even a scrape" she spun around in a circle, demonstrating for him.

Joel sighed and ran his rough hand down his face. "Let's just keep goin'. Stay close to me". He was too tired to fight her right now, and they were too far along to have her turn back now.

They met up with the group back on the path where everyone was reconvening.

"Anyone hurt?" Tommy yelled, surveying the group. Their talent in the fight was impressive, Ellie thought. Not one of their men had gotten killed. The same couldn't be said for the Hunters.

"Alright, good. Let's keep moving" Tommy said, and the group began walking up the path again. Everyone looked a bit more weary, looking left and right constantly, keeping their eyes and ears open for any more potential threats.

They finally reached a small town a few miles away, and it looked just as desolate as every area Ellie and Joel had seen on their long trek the past year.

"Let's split up. You guys on the left search the houses, and the rest of you search all the stores" Tommy commanded. Ellie and Joel had been assigned to search the houses.

The group began going their separate ways, and the pair made their way to the first house they saw.

"Think we'll find anything?" Ellie asked, trying to make conversation with an angry Joel.

"I don't know. Maybe. Let's hope this place hasn't been touched by those Hunters".

Ellie stuck close to Joel as they started looking through every corner of the house. They found a few cans of food in the kitchen but nothing else useful. She passed an open door and peered in, her mood lifting when she saw what was inside.

"Joel!" she exclaimed.

He turned around, clearly alarmed and ready to fight.

"I found something you might like. Come in here!"

He followed her in, and his face softened when he saw what she was talking about. He went over and touched the smooth wood and plucked at the strings. _A guitar. _

"Nice find, kiddo" he said, happiness radiating from his face. For a moment all was forgotten.

Ellie looked at the floor, shifting back and forth uncomfortably. Finally she looked back up at Joel.

"Look. I'm sorry. About everything today. I was stupid to come, but I just wish you wouldn't be so protective of me all the time. I know you mean well, but... it's just not fair. You've seen that I can handle myself".

Joel sighed and turned his attention away from the guitar. "I just couldn't forgive myself if something happened to you, if I lost you after all I've done". He had a feeling she already knew what he had done for her in Salt Lake City. He constantly worried why she hadn't confronted him yet. Did that mean she was okay with it? How could she be? She couldn't possibly know the whole story, about Marlene, about how many men he'd killed.

"You're not going to lose me, Joel" Ellie said, even if she didn't believe it. She feared that once she knew the truth, he would.

Joel relaxed. She wasn't going to ask, there wasn't going to be a confrontation, a fight, a fallout. Not today, at least. This tension couldn't go on for much longer, and he knew it. He tried to push all the fear and feelings aside, as he had done for countless years now.

"Are you going to play that thing for me?" Ellie asked, gesturing towards the guitar.

"If I can get it back in tune and remember how to play after twenty years".

"And then you'll teach me to play too, right?" she smiled.

Joel chuckled. "You got it. Now let's get out of here, see what the others have found". He picked up the guitar and with an admiring glance he slung it around his back.

The two walked out of the house, and immediately there was a deafening crack in the air. Joel felt Ellie jerk beside him before she fell to the ground. The world was moving so slowly yet spinning at top speed all around him. Her yells sounded distant and muted to Joel. _It had been a gunshot_. _Ellie had been shot. _He felt the world starting to crumble around him.


	5. The Waiting Room

Immediately there was another gunshot, then all was quiet aside from Ellie's screams of pain. Joel dropped down to her and began trying to comfort her.

"We're gonna get you out of here. It's gonna be okay" he said, stroking her hair.

She could only cry his name in response. He picked her up and began running out into the street, yelling for help.

Tommy came up to him, worry and panic etched onto his face. He looked just as helpless as Joel felt.

"C'mon Joel, let's go" he said, guiding his panicked brother towards the path they had traveled on earlier. "We've got a doctor back in the town. He's our best and only hope right now".

Joel barely heard Tommy, and focused on running as hard and fast as he could. Each bump in the path elicited another yelp from Ellie, who was starting to look paler by the moment. He felt a warmth on his shirt and knew it was her blood seeping through. _Faster, _he urged himself. He was mumbling reassuring words, more for himself than Ellie.

Ellie felt a pain unlike anything she had before. It was much worse than when she got bit by the infected, which she didn't think was possible. It radiated throughout her entire body, searing and burning what felt like every single nerve. She was losing a grip on reality, crying and screaming and cursing without even knowing what she was doing. Ellie continued to stare up at Joel's face, listening to his voice, trying to anchor herself in the present. _Don't close your eyes, Ellie. Don't pass out, _she thought.

The path stretched for what seemed like an eternity to both of them, and finally Joel saw the settlement come into view. He kept looking down at Ellie, checking to make sure she was still conscious. She was barely stirring now, but at least her eyes were still open.

"We need some help! Where's Wes?!" Tommy yelled once they were inside the gate. A few bystanders looked at them, frightened, but had no answer for him. They continued running until they reached the center of the settlement where most people usually gathered.

A man roughly the same age as Joel came over to them, looking alarmed. He was staring at Ellie, laying limply in Joel's arms and crying.

"Wesley. She was shot, the girl. We need your help".

"Of course. Come on, hurry!" he replied, starting to run, with the others following closely behind. Wes understood there was no time for questions right now. They reached a house that Joel could only assume was Wesley's, and nailed on the front door was a makeshift sign that said "Doctor".

Wesley led them inside and into a room with a large table. He immediately covered it over with an old sheet and turned to Joel.

"Here. Let me take the girl".

"No. Just... let me put her down". Joel didn't want to let her go for fear of never feeling her alive in his arms again.

Wesley didn't protest, but motioned to the table in the center of the room. Reluctantly, Joel laid Ellie down on top of it.

"Okay baby, we're gonna get you fixed up now" he said as he pushed the hair sticking to her tear-stained face aside. Ellie continued to cry in pain. He knew she was bordering unconsciousness from pain and blood loss.

"You're going to have to step back now, okay?" Wes said, gently but urgently, with the comforting tone only a doctor could have perfected.

"Pat!" he called out, and a woman came rushing down the stairs and into the room. Her eyes widened at the site of a bloody Ellie laying on the table.

"I'm gonna need your help honey, can you go get all of the surgical supplies I've got?" he asked. She immediately nodded and left the room, coming back moments later with a box filled with metal objects and gauze.

Joel finally stepped back from the table, and for the first time he actually looked where the gunshot had hit her. She had blood coming out of her side, but at least it wasn't her heart or her head._ She has a chance,_ he thought.

He watched the doctor and his wife go to work, anesthetizing Ellie. He didn't know what to do with himself as he looked at the scene helplessly. Was the surgery going to hurt her? How strong was that anesthetic? Could the bullet be removed? Was she even going to _live_? His head was spinning. Tommy had been standing silently on the sidelines until now, and he came up to Joel without taking his eyes off of Ellie.

"Let's go wait somewhere else. Let them do their work". He guided an anxious Joel out of the house and the two sat on the steps of the front porch. Joel put his head in his hands and sighed loudly in frustration.

Tommy knew better than to talk, and let his brother sit in silence while he finally processed everything that had happened. He knew that when Joel was ready to talk, he would.

Joel finally looked up after several minutes. "What happened out there, Tommy?" His tone had a hint of anger mixed with accusation.

"It was another one of them Hunters. Must've tracked us, waiting for his chance to get revenge for killing all his buddies. Thought he could take us out, one by one, I guess. Our guys shot him dead the minute they heard the gunshot though. Wasn't as sneaky as he thought he was".

Joel remained silent. His worst fear was coming true. He had warned her not to come, but at this point he only felt as though he could blame himself. She was a kid, how was she supposed to protect herself out there? He couldn't save her from this, just like he wasn't able to save Sarah. He knew that if he lost Ellie too there was no way he could make it out of that darkness.

"She's gonna make it, Joel" Tommy said, putting a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder.

Maria came rushing up to them moments later. "I just heard what happened. How is she?" she asked, breathless.

"We don't know yet. They just got started workin' on her a little bit ago" Tommy replied. Joel continued to stare at the ground, silent.

Maria didn't say anything, just sat down next to Tommy and rested her head on his shoulder. Even if Joel wouldn't admit it, he was glad to have the two keeping him company.

Hours passed uneventfully, and Joel hardly moved from his spot, feeling frozen in time. His muscles were becoming stiff, but he felt like moving even an inch would shatter everything. Tommy and Maria had come and gone several times while Joel remained there, and he could sense them looking over at him with concern, whispering briefly to each other.

Finally the sound of the front door opening behind them pulled Joel from his trance. Wes walked out slowly and Joel scrambled to his feet, then spun around to face him.

"She's uh..." he began. Joel's heart sank as a million horrible thoughts raced through his mind. _Please... _he begged.

"She's going to be alright. The bullet actually didn't do too much major damage internally and I managed to stitch it all up. She's lost a lot of blood, but within a few days her body will be replenishing it for her. For now she's going to be a bit weak".

Joel felt multiple waves of relief come over him and he became weak at the knees.

"Thank you Wesley. Seriously, we don't know how to repay you" Tommy said, speaking for the group.

"Not necessary" he said, holding up his hand. "Just doing my job".

The group was silent for a moment, until Joel suddenly said, "I need to see her". Everyone looked at him, surprised to hear his voice.

"She's going to be out for a bit still, but you can see her if you'd like".

Joel nodded, and Wes motioned for Joel to come inside the house.

"We'll uh, just leave you two alone. Maria and I can catch up with you later" Tommy said.

"I'm so glad she's okay, Joel." Maria said, giving him a quick hug. She hadn't been overly fond of Joel the first time he and Ellie visited, but he saw that she had taken quite a liking to Ellie during their short stay. That was the one thing Joel knew they had in common.

The couple walked away from the house, and Joel turned to go inside. In the foyer Wesley and his wife waited for him. Joel glanced into the room with the operating table, expecting to see Ellie, but it was now empty.

"I suppose a proper introduction is in order. We were a tad bit little busy before." she laughed lightly. "I'm Patricia, Pat. Wesley's wife and partner in crime" she said with a warm smile. Pat was the type of person that made you feel welcome simply with her presence. Joel had seen the two around the settlement, but since he arrived he hadn't tried very hard to get to know anyone living there. He wasn't exactly the personable type.

"Thank you for all your help. Both of you" he said, shaking her hand. He knew he could never fully express the extent of his gratitude to them.

"Why don't we go and see your girl" Wes said, with a warm smile matching that of his wife's.

Joel followed him upstairs to where they had moved Ellie after her surgery. Before they reached the bedroom, Wesley spoke.

"Your daughter is very lucky you got her here when you did. And that the bullet hit where it did".

"Oh she ain't... uh, she ain't mine. Just lookin' after her". It almost hurt him to admit that Ellie wasn't his own.

Wes nodded in understanding. They both knew that in their broken world, children were often separated from their parents or had never even known them at all. Joel thought back to when he had first met Ellie and asked about her parents. She had replied, "Where are anyone's parents?", and Joel thought he had never heard anything more true.

Wes opened the door, and when they entered, Joel saw Ellie laying on a bed, looking smaller than ever under the sheets.

"Oh..." Joel let out at the sight of her weak state. He felt his heart break for what felt like the millionth time in his life.

"Just come down when you're done. No rush" Wesley said, flashing Joel another smile before closing the door behind him.

Joel approached the bed slowly, taking in the sight of Ellie being alive. He kneeled next to the bed, watching and listening to each and every one of her precious breaths for a while.

"I'm sorry, Ellie". He didn't care whether or not she could hear him. "I... let you down". He became silent, overcome with guilt. He couldn't imagine if he had actually lost her today. It was unbearable, and he immediately banished the thought from his mind.

After savoring a few more moments with her, he stood up to leave. "Get some rest, I'll be back again later" he said, squeezing her hand tightly. He didn't want to leave her for an absurd fear that she may just disappear into thin air before he could return, but he forced himself to begin walking towards the door. He stole one more glance at her before leaving the room.

* * *

Ellie awoke with a gasp. The pain was overwhelming.

"Joel...?" she croaked out.

She groggily rubbed her eyes as she wondered where she was. The fogginess slowly cleared up as everything that had taken place in the town slowly came back to her. She had been shot. But by who? How long had she been out for? How had she survived? She had so many questions to be answered, but she realized was completely alone in a foreign room. She felt panic and confusion, but she was too tired and worn out to worry. Sleepiness threatened her, but she fought it, waiting for Joel, who she was sure would be there any minute.

_"_Joel..." she mumbled, closing her eyes. _Where was he?_ she wondered briefly as she gave in to sleep once more.

* * *

Ellie felt herself coming to, and tried to open her eyes. She had no idea how long it had been since she was last awake.

Joel was sitting on a chair next to the bed, his head propped up in one hand, going in and out of sleep. The sound of Ellie rustling caused him to wake, and he saw her eyelids fluttering.

"Ellie?" he asked, hopeful, scooting his chair closer to her.

"Mmmm?" she mumbled, opening her eyes slowly. Once she saw Joel she became more alert, trying to sit up in the bed. She winced in pain.

"Just take it easy, lay back down".

"What's going on? Where am I? What happened?" she asked sleepily.

"Relax. Right now you need to focus on gettin' better".

Ellie laid her head back again and stared at the ceiling, too tired to ask again.

"How're you feelin'?" Joel looked at her with concerned eyes.

"Like I got hit by about ten trucks. And how are you doing today?"

Joel laughed. Even in this state, Ellie felt the need to be sarcastic.

"Same".

Ellie smiled. "Sarcasm? Way to go, Joel". He could tell she was still in a lot of pain through her laughter.

"I brought you some stuff. Hopefully that'll make you feel a bit better" he said, reaching towards the floor next to the chair and pulling up a few things.

"First things first, you've gotta get a little food in you. Lemme help you up" he said, propping a pillow behind her and slowly sitting her up. He handed her a bowl and spoon as soon as she was situated.

"What is this?" she said, eyeing the food suspiciously and poking it with the spoon.

"Just some canned fruit. Wasn't much else around right now".

"Better than nothing" she said, taking a large spoonful. "What else do you have for me?" she asked between bites.

"One of the guys on the search with us found this in the town. He didn't care much for it so I grabbed it for ya". Joel held up a copy of _Savage Starlight_, the comic Ellie had been collecting.

"No way! I haven't read this issue yet!" She looked eagerly at the comic as Joel handed it to her. Immediately she flipped open to the first page.

"So awesome" she said, smiling down at the book.

Joel smiled at the sight of seeing her so happy and excited after all she had just gone through. _She really is tough_, he thought, swelling with pride.

After a few minutes she set down the comic and turned to Joel.

"Okay, time to fill me in. No more excuses". Her expression had become serious.

Joel explained what had happened, who had shot her, and how Wesley had saved her life. Ellie listened to the story intently with wide eyes.

She sat, processing the information, then finally said, "I'm really sorry about everything, Joel. It wasn't fair to you for me to put myself at risk like this. I should have just listened to you in the first place". She stared at her lap and fiddled with her hands nervously.

"It ain't for you to be sorry about Ellie. I should've made you turn back, I should've protected you. I'm supposed to be lookin' after you and all. I'm the adult here, and I knew better". As Joel spoke, Ellie could see him getting angry at himself for what happened.

"This isn't your fault, Joel. It's no one's fault that those Hunters are absolutely insane. It was all bad luck, and it's over now, right? You're not gonna lose me, at least not this time. Oh, and you better forget you saw me acting like a giant baby." She gave Joel a small smile, hoping to lighten the mood.

"You know I'm never lettin' you out of my sight again, kid". The pair shared a weak laugh, both glad they could finally put this behind them.

"You got it, chief."


	6. Fighting For You

"You sure you're gonna be alright on your own tonight?" Joel asked as he entered the room.

Ellie was laying back on the couch. Wesley had sent her home with Joel the previous day, but not before explaining how to clean and re-dress her wound properly and emphasizing that she get plenty of rest and relaxation.

"Joel, I'll be fine! I've got movies and comics to keep me company, see?" she said, holding up a stack of comics and some DVD boxes. "Maria said she might stop by too. You deserve to have a little fun without worrying about me for a night".

"It's just a game of cards, it ain't a big deal if I skip out on it".

She raised her eyebrows at him. "Um, no. You're going".

Joel sighed. "Alright, then".

"And actually try to make some friends tonight, will you?"

"Real funny".

Tommy had decided that everyone could use a laid back evening and planned a game of cards at his place with some of the guys on the settlement. Joel was looking forward to playing cards and the normalcy of having a "guys night", but didn't care too much for making friends right now. He mostly cared about Ellie getting better.

"Anythin' I can get you before I go? You okay to take care of yourself and all that?"

"Yes, now get out of here before I break my stitches open forcing you out the door!"

"Okay, okay. I'm goin'" he said, holding up his hands in defeat and approaching the door. "I'll be back real soon. I don't expect this to take too long".

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Don't stay out past your curfew young man!" she said, chuckling.

Joel began walking to Tommy's, wishing he was back in the house with Ellie. He was afraid to leave her alone ever since he had almost lost her for good. He knew she would be fine on her own, that she could handle herself, but the nagging in the back of his mind was driving him crazy. _I just have to get through a few card games and that's all, _he assured himself.

When he arrived, he found everyone else was already there, sitting around a large table and laughing. Tommy saw Joel walk in first.

"Big brother! Better late than never!" he yelled, his southern accent more prominent than usual.

Joel, noticing his brothers overly joyful attitude, eyed the contents on the table and saw two bottles of alcohol among the decks of cards. It was clear that most of the guys had already taken to indulging in it.

"That whiskey?" Joel asked, pointing at the bottles. "Where did you even get that?"

"Lucky find, ain't it?! Jimmy here was the one who picked it up on a search. We all decided to save it for a special occasion". After noticing that Joel was still standing, he said, "Pull up a chair, brother!"

Joel sat next to Tommy, who then became somber for a moment. "How's Ellie doin'?" he asked quietly.

"She's fine. You know how she is, tough and all". Tommy nodded in response.

"Have yourself a drink!" Tommy slurred as he grabbed an empty glass and began pouring before Joel could answer. He slid the glass over to Joel, who watched it's contents slosh back and forth in the process. He couldn't remember what alcohol tasted like, or even the last time he'd even seen a bottle of it.

"I suppose one drink couldn't hurt" he said, taking a sip. "Deal me in".

* * *

Ellie laid on the couch fighting sleep, with her things strewn about on the floor next to her and a movie playing in the background. She wanted to stay awake to tease Joel about how his night had went. Considering he had said he wouldn't take long, Ellie figured it was a good sign that hours had passed since he left.

She wasn't sure how long she had been dozing when the sound of the door opening woke her. In the darkness she could see Joel stumble into the room, clearly off balance.

"Joel? Are you hurt?" she asked, alarmed at his unusual entrance.

She sat up and turned on the small lamp next to the couch. Once Ellie saw Joel properly, she realized he wasn't hurt at all.

"You're drunk!" she said, unable to contain her laughter.

"I'm _not_ drunk". Joel slurred slightly, walking through the room uneasily.

"Yes you are! Oh, this is great. I will _never_ let you forget this". She continued laughing at him.

"Tommy had some drinks out, and I may have had a glass or two". he said, falling into an armchair.

"Or ten" Ellie said, clearly amused. "So, fun night with the boys, eh? Make any friends?"

"Plenty". Joel slumped in the chair, closing his eyes.

"Alright big guy, let's get you to bed" Ellie got up and tried to lift Joel from the chair. "Going to need a little help here".

Joel opened his eyes slightly and lifted himself up from the chair, falling off balance and leaning onto Ellie for support.

"Just take it slow, come on" she said, guiding him towards the bedroom. Joel's weight on her was heavy, but she didn't think he could walk on his own.

"Ellie", he said seriously, stopping and looking down at her. "I don't know what I'd do without you".

Ellie was surprised and touched at Joel's sappy confession, but knew it was only the alcohol talking. "For starters, you'd have fallen asleep in that chair instead of your comfy bed".

He made a noise that sounded something like a laugh and they continued towards the bedroom. Once they walked in, Joel collapsed onto his mattress.

"Easy! Watch yourself". She bent down to his level and covered him over with a thin sheet. Before she could away, Joel called her back.

"Ellie... I'm sorry".

"Sorry about what? That you got a little drunk? It's actually pretty funny".

"No, no. I'm _sorry. _You have to know". He was mumbling so much that Ellie almost couldn't make out what he was saying. She had to lean closer to him to listen.

"You're not making any sense, Joel. Just get some sleep and then you can make all the apologies your heart desires in the morning". As she finished her sentence, it dawned on her. _Was Joel talking about the Fireflies? _She felt a nauseous feeling come over her and she looked at Joel. She wasn't sure if she could handle hearing the truth, not with him in this state. The poor guy probably wouldn't even remember telling her.

"You remember... you remember when I told you to keep findin' somethin' to fight for, to survive for?" he tripped over his words slightly.

Ellie didn't answer, just continued to watch him.

"Well, it's you. I fought for you. I'm fightin' for you" he confessed.

She felt her heart drop and insides flip around at his words. She knew that she felt the same about him, that she cared so much about him that it made life worth living.

"I'm fighting for you too". She choked back the tears that were now threatening her.

"I did it all for you, Ellie" Joel mumbled. He was getting sleepier by the moment, and Ellie could see him drifting off. "You have to know. They... they were..." he began, but he fell asleep before he could finish his sentence.

Frustration rose up inside Ellie. This was more proof that there was something Joel was hiding, and although she was scared, she wanted to know now more than ever. "Who? What? Come on, Joel" she said desperately, shaking him. She knew it was no use. He was passed out cold from the alcohol. He probably would hardly remember the conversation.

Ellie sighed and sat back against the wall, deep in thought. For a while she watched Joel sleeping, wishing he would wake up and just confess something, _anything. _Whatever it was that he was hiding, she knew his motivation for it. Joel's voice repeating _I did it all for you Ellie, _rang through her head. How bad could things have gotten at the Fireflies that he felt he needed to lie to her about it?

"What are you hiding, Joel?" she whispered.

Once again her questions went unanswered as she crawled over to her mattress and tried to sleep. She had a feeling it was going to be another long night.


End file.
